A Revolution in Dermal Filler Injections

It has been 3 months since we began using blunt cannulas for filler injections. I wish I could forget the needles all together! There is no reason to subject my patients to the risk of bruising or bleeding if a better and safer alternative is available.

The needle-less filler injection is the single most monumental change that has occurred in the field of dermal fillers in several years; it has spread throughout Europe and South America very rapidly since it’s introduction less than 2 years ago. Aesthetic physicians around the world have embraced this chance to make filler injection strikingly less unpleasant and cut the risk of bleeding and bruising to almost negligible!

There seems to be another advantage of using cannulas. If placed properly and in a particular fashion the metabolism of the product could be delayed and the filler may last much longer!

The concept of a no-needle technique is not a new idea; it has been used for fat transfer for quite some time. Yet, the use of cannulas for dermal filler placement is hardly known in this country; even the representatives of filler companies are not familiar with this concept. It is somewhat puzzling since the reps from the same companies in South America or Europe are well versed in this technique and share all necessary information with their physicians. They are instrumental in helping their doctors to attain the necessary skills and equipment; both as a free addition to the purchased fillers.

The main problem is the availability of the cannulas, the blunt “needles” necessary for the injection of fillers.

Since the procedure is quite new, there are very few committed dermal filler cannula manufacturers around the world, however they work closely with the manufacturers of dermal fillers. Their products are available in several sizes and various lengths. These companies have grown exponentially within the last 12 months due to the enormous popularity of this technique and the continuously growing demand.

Overall, the no-needle injection technique is a major step forward in Aesthetic Medicine making filler injections a procedure that is much safer, less traumatic and with negligible downtime. There are reports of a longer duration of these dermal fillers when injected through a cannula.

There are only 4 centers in the US who use cannulas; two of them use this technique for lips only. We are very proud to be one of only two centers in the USA using this technique for total facial aesthetics.